About Me

During my first weight loss journey (Jan. 2009 - Aug. 2010) I lost 50 pounds. As of July 2011 I have gained 30 pounds back. This blog is now my weight loss journey "Take 2". I am determined to lose the 30 pounds I gained back plus some. You can still read about my first journey by clicking the Jan. 2009 link below.
Please join me on this weight loss journey as I share with you my day to day struggles, successes, helpful tips and recipes while staying on a budget.

This Blog is PR Friendly

If you have a product that you would like featured or reviewed on Pudget: Losing Weight On A Budget; or a Giveaway you would like to Sponsor, I would love to work with you. Please feel free to email me at pudgetlosingweightonabudget@yahoo.com

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I am doing Crock Pot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie. Check out her site and see lots of great crock pot recipes.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken On A Budget:

Buy a big package of boneless skinless chicken breasts when they are on sale (ex. $1.79pd). Cook the whole package in the crock pot in the beginning of the week. If you cook it long enough it will be very tender and easy to shred. Turn the chicken into several different meals for the week. I did this last week and we got 4 dinners and several lunches out of a $11.00 package of chicken.

Monday, September 28, 2009

My Aunt said that I am supposed to tell all of you that I fell off the wagon this weekend. Hi Aunt Diana! ;) Actually I didn't fall off the wagon I just ate way to much food. That's the way I look at it anyway ;).

I really had a blast this weekend. My Aunt came in from New York to visit and of course go to the fair. On Friday Night we had subs from one of the best sub shops in town. I had a huge cheese steak and I ate the whole thing and felt like I could have eaten more. I know it's sad. My stomach should not be able to hold that much food anymore. I really didn't even feel full. After two cookies and an ice cream bar I felt satisfied. :)

It didn't end there. On Saturday we woke up bright and early and went to the fair for breakfast. I wanted to go to an all you can eat breakfast buffet but we found a little breakfast stand that sounded and smelled great so we went their. The food was great and I'm glad we didn't go to a buffet because my daughter wouldn't sit still to let me eat and I probably would have made myself sick for the day by eating to much.At about 10:30 or 11:00 I had a Nathan's Slaw Dog. If you haven't ever had one you really need to try it. I think it had Dill pickle slices, onion, mustard and coleslaw. I had one for the first time last year and fell in love with it. It was so good. Unfortunately after that, a potato pancake and some chocolate that my Aunt and Mom forced me to eat ;) (just kidding) I didn't have room for a Vince's cheese steak.

I did have enough room to eat a few of my daughters fries, about a 1/4 of my other daughters $5 funnel cake (what a rip off), and a big bowl of Rice pudding. The rice pudding was awesome. I am dueling just thinking about it. And that was just before dinner.

It was raining a lot the whole day so when it came time for dinner we just wanted to sit down and relax. So we found this cute little place that had enclosed seating and a buffet. I thoroughly enjoyed the fried chicken, coleslaw and a few other things. Oh yes, there is more. I also split a whoopee pie with my daughter. Somewhere on 7th street there is a guy who sells homemade whoopee pies but they sell out of the pumpkin and red velvet so fast. I settled for chocolate and it was great.

So as you can see I had a very productive weekend. I ate a ton of food and probably gained five pounds. It was definitely 5 pounds worth gaining! I got to spend time with the best Mother and Aunt that anyone could ask for and that is worth gaining five pounds for. :)

Now I am back to reality. I spent all of my money at the fair and don't have much food in the house. I am going to have to be very creative with what I make. Lunches are always the worst. It is so hard to be creative and healthy when it comes to lunch. I should just buy some bags of salad mix (buy one get one free at Weis this week).

I also need to get back to the gym. I took today off to catch up on some things around the house and get some of my Silpada parties planned. Also, my daughters 5th birthday is Saturday and we are having a gymnastics party for her. She is so excited. I have to make cupcakes later in the week and try not to eat them all. It should be interesting.

So today I am back to my real life of eating healthy and staying on my budget. Wish me luck after this weekend. :)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I have had an awesome week. I finished week two of the Couch to 5K and began week three this morning. I thought that there would be no way that I could run for three minutes straight. Boy was I wrong. I ran the three minutes at a time and I just wanted to take off and run more. I had some crazy energy today. I really love running. I think I love it so much because I thought I could never do it. It makes me feel so strong. I feel so great when I am done. It feels like such an accomplishment to me. I am actually going back to the gym tonight to run again while my daughter is doing her gymnastics training.

This week was also great because I got my hair cut. I have a new confidence that really surprised me. I thought for sure that I would be so self concuss about short hair but I'm not. I am really loving it. I feel so good and so energized. It was just the boost that I needed.

And the moment you have been waiting for. My weight on the scale this morning was 177.4. I was so excited. The week kind of flew by and I was so happy to see that I really did make the right choices this week and it really shows.

I am so close to my lowest weight. I can't wait to get back down to it. One more pound. It won't be long. I am hoping to be lower then my lowest by next week. :) I really can't wait to weigh 175. That is my goal right now. I can do it!

My Week In Review:

1. Exercise: I did awesome this week. I made it to the gym several times and I am still doing the Couch to 5 K which is so much fun!

2. Track My Points Every Day: No

3. Water: I drank a lot of water but I still need to keep working on drinking more.

4. Late night eating: No, I finally am able to sleep at night. No more Hershey Kisses and Almonds :)5. Snacking: I have been so busy that I haven't had much time to snack. I did eat healthy snacks when I needed to. I am loving Luna Bars. I got three boxes of the Chocolate ones on sale at my Walmart ($4.50 a box). Unfortunately I am almost out and I can't afford to buy more right now. It looks like I am going to have to start cooking breakfast again. :(

6. Eating more fruits and veggies: I did really well with this when I wasn't at Birthday parties. We had two this weekend and I ate way to much.

What do I need to do this week?

I am going to try to survive the fair this week without gaining ten pounds. Right now my plan is to eat as healthy as I can when I am their and just splurge on a few things that I really want. I think I am going to go to the fair three days this week so wish me luck. It's going to be hard.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Today I feel like a new person. On Monday I decided to get my hair cut. I made an appointment with Joy from All About You Hair Salon in Bloomsburg, PA. Joy did my hair for the wedding that I was in and I was so impressed with her work and her salon that I decided to go back.

Joy is really awesome! She sat with me for an hour helping me decide what style and color to choose. She also helped me to realize that I used my hair to hide behind like a security blanket. I know it's sad but true. If I was feeling fat or ugly I would wear my hair around my face to be able to hide a little. Joy helped me to realize that I don't need that anymore. Thanks Joy!

When Joy and I were going through the catalogs of hair styles I kept pointing out really short hair cuts that I loved but wouldn't get done because it would show way to much of my face. I really didn't feel that I have the face for a short cut. I guess I still sometimes picture myself as a heavier person with a very round face so I had a hard time picturing myself in any of those cuts.

We did find some medium length cuts that I really liked but I just couldn't get those short cuts out of my mind. I really wanted it. I wanted to go with a drastic change but I was so afraid to do it. Once it's done it is done. There is no turning back. After an hour of looking at colors and cuts I finally said to Joy "Let's just do it!" I decided to go with an adorable short cut. I was so nervous at that point. I was thinking "What have I done. I'm going to hate short hair on me. Their is no way I can pull it off.".

Luckily Joy is like the sweetest person in the world and really helped me relax. We enjoyed talking for the next two hours while she cut and put beautiful Espresso and Cherry Cola low lights in my hair. I was so excited about the colors. Especially the Espresso. I love really dark hair!

When she was finally done I stood up and looked in the mirror. I was shocked at what I saw. I felt like a new person. I even looked like a new person. I could not believe the drastic change a good hair cut can make. My face looked thinner and my eyes looked bigger. I was really, really shocked and excited. I Love, Love, Love my new cut!

Thanks to Joy at All About You, getting my hair cut was such a wonderful experience. I had a really great time. Joy really pampered me. She spent so much time getting to know me and what I really wanted done with my hair before she cut it. It was just so wonderful to get out of the house and be treated like a queen.

If you are looking for someone that will give you an awesome cut and really listen to what you want, then you really need to go to Joy at All About You.

In case you are interested here is Joy's info:All About You Hair Salon94 Hidlay Church RoadBloomsburg, PA 17815570-387-1990

Sunday, September 20, 2009

I finally got past my fear of cooking Salmon. For some reason I have always been afraid of it. Yesterday my In-Laws were visiting so I decided to get some Salmon to make for dinner. It was on sale for $5.99 a pound so I picked some up and found this recipe at the little recipe machine at my grocery store. The machine is pretty cool. You put in your ingredients and it gives you tons of recipes to choose from.

I was looking for a recipe that seemed healthy and included only ingredients that I already had around the house. This is what I found. Sweet Mustard Glazed Salmon Fillets. I altered the recipe to make it less points. It originally called for 2 TBSP of Brown Sugar but I used Splenda instead and it turned out great.

As you all know I am a huge Salmon fan. I have only ever had it at restaurants so it was a new experience cooking it. The only part that I found gross was cutting the skin off (I don't even know if you call it skin. Maybe scales?). It was gross but really easy. Once I got that off I threw it in my marinade that took about 30 seconds to make and then mix it around, put it in the dish and bake. It was so simple. Now it didn't taste like Red Lobster's Salmon but I still thought it was excellent and very healthy.

I am definitely not afraid of cooking salmon anymore. Anytime I find fresh Salmon at a good price I am going to buy it. I can't wait to find more recipes. :)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. In a shallow baking dish, mix together the lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar and cumin.2. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper to taste; place the salmon in the baking dish, turning to coat with the mustard mixture.3. Bake 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakeseasily with fork.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I am learning that I really need to do a few cool down laps after running. I am so sore today. I could barely sleep last night. I think part of it is because I had to go to the gym three days in a row and those were the only days for me to do the the Couch to 5K this week.

The instructions for the couch to 5K say to have a resting day in between. Now I know why. I really didn't feel any pain until after the third day. Hopefully giving myself the weekend to rest will make me feel better for next week.

I am really excited about doing week two of Couch to 5K again. I really enjoyed it yesterday. I feel so good once I am done and honestly I haven't had any trouble with the running yet. I'm sure that will come soon enough. I am surprised that I am enjoying it so much. Maybe I will really like running. :)

I think I enjoy it so much because I am by myself listening to music and just planning my day and week in my head. It just gives me some time to think as I run around the track. I find it very relaxing.

Next week I am definitely going to do my cool down after my run. Yesterday I ran and when I was done I went straight into lifting weights, doing the resistance bands and the exercise ball and then I did a couple cool down laps when I was done. I think I will do it in the opposite order next week. I will do the cool down before I start lifting and hopefully it will help me to not be in so much pain.

Has anyone else that is doing or has done Couch to 5K (or is a runner) had this problem? What do you suggest?

Friday, September 18, 2009

This is another great Hungry Girl recipe that I wanted to share with you all. My sister made these for me last week and also a few weeks before that. She knows I just love them and I don't have to feel guilty eating them. This recipe is seriously so simple with just a few ingredients and so inexpensive is you purchase your ingredients at Aldi and Walmart. The best part is that they only have 108 calories per cupcake. How awesome is that?

Death By Chocolate CupcakesHungry Girl "Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World"

Place chocolate chips and the contents of both cocoa packets in a tall glass. Add 12 ounces of boiling water and stir until chips and cocoa mix have dissolved. Place glass in the freezer to chill for 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once cocoa has chilled, give it a stir and mix with all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whip batter with a whisk or fork for 2 minutes.

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with baking cups. Evenly spoon batter (which will be thin, but don't worry-your cupcakes will puff up!) into the pan. Place pan in the oven and bake it for 15 minutes. Cupcakes will look shiny when done.

Makes 12 Servings

Per serving (1 cupcake): 108 calories, 2.5g fat, 1 gram fiber

I have found that they are best either served cold from the fridge or with Redi-Whip on them. You can't go wrong with these cupcakes!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

As I stated in my last post it was a really rough week. Just a lot of stress which unfortunately seems to lead me to a lot of chocolate eating.

I guess it could have been worse. When I stepped on the scale this morning the number I saw was 179.2. I know this isn't good but it is better then gaining since last week. I lost a total of .8 pounds this week. Still not back to my lowest but I am back in the 170's so that's a plus.

My Week In Review:

1. Exercise: I made it to the gym Thursday, Friday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Today. I am really excited about that. Today I started week 2 of Couch to 5K and it went really well.

2. Track My Points Every Day: No

3. Water: I didn't drink as much as I should

4. Late night eating: Yes, at least two nights I got up for Almonds and Hershey kisses. :(

5. Snacking: Too many frozen Hershey Kisses and Almonds

6. Eating more fruits and veggies: I really should have eaten more then I did.

What do I need to do this week?

I need to continue exercising as much as I have been and I need to get my eating under control. I need to start eating more salads, veggies and fruit.

I have a surprise to share with all of you next week so make sure you check back to see what it is. I am really excited about it.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I really, really don't want to step on that scale tomorrow and tell all of you how much I weigh. It's not anything against all of you I just don't want to have to admit to another gain. It stinks but I know if I don't post it tomorrow I will just get back into my old habits and gain all of my weight back. So make sure you check back tomorrow to find out how much I have gained. :) Just kidding. (kind of).

It's been one of those weeks. It has been so crazy that I don't even think I planned or ate a nice meal this week. It's been so crazy that I can't even remember. Between soccer, gymnastics, my Silpada jewelry parties, church, and the gym I just can't seem to keep track of anything. I hope this weeks slows down a little so I can catch up on some things.

I really did try to eat healthy this week unfortunately stress got the best of me. I have decided that Hershey Kisses and Raw Almonds are my new best friend. :) I really do love them. Maybe a little to much. I actually ate more Hershey kisses this week then I have eaten in the past 8 months. That is when I know I am stressed. When I am going for those frozen Hershey kisses. At least I mix it up with some Almonds and make it kind of healthy.

I need to stop eating every time I am stressed or I am going to find myself back in my old habits of binging. Those were not pleasant days. You can read more about my binging troubles here. Luckily I have moved past them but it took me a while and I really don't want to go through that again.

On the up side I have been going to the gym a lot. I went last Friday, this Tuesday and Wednesday and I am going again tomorrow. Tomorrow actually starts Week 2 of my Couch to 5K program. I am very excited to move on. I think my body is ready. The podcasts that I found really help to keep me going. If you are looking for a podcast for the Couch to 5K just do a google search and there are a few you can choose from. It has definitely been helpful.

After my workouts I have also been doing some weight training and cardio. I am doing a lot of things that my old trainer taught me. I feel so grateful to have learned all of these exercises that I can do on my own. I do feel like I am getting enough exercise in I just need to work on what I am eating and portion control.

Make sure you check back tomorrow when we can all find out how much I gained this week. I guess I shouldn't joke about it but that is the only way for me to get over it with out getting mad at myself.

Monday, September 14, 2009

This is a Must Try! These Big Fat Blueberry Muffins are amazing. They taste great and the small amount of calories in these things are crazy. You seriously will not believe me after you taste these that there are only 137 calories in one. I know I didn't and I really still have a hard time believing it because they are so good and so big. They would make the perfect snack to take for a work breakfast/party or even a girls night in.

My sister made these muffins this weekend when she hosted a jewelry party through me. Thanks Heather!!! She said it actually made 8 muffins instead of 6 just because she couldn't get anymore batter in the muffin pan. This is the second time she made them and she said she had the same problem both times. I guess this is a good thing because it just means less calories per muffin and they are still super huge.

I have eaten one every day since Saturday. I one for breakfasts today with a little spray butter. It was awesome and so filling. I also ate a bowl of watermelon with it. Can you tell who got to take the leftovers home? :)

Saturday, September 12, 2009

That's right. I started the Couch-to-5K Running Plan yesterday. If you have never heard of it before it is a beginner's running schedule to help new runners get off the couch and onto the roads, running 3 miles in just two months.

I am super excited about this because I have always wanted to be able to run but never really knew how to do it. It isn't one of those things that you can just take off and do. Most people can't anyway.

Their is a race in town in about two and a half months. I think it is on Thanksgiving. I would love to be able to run in it. I'm not sure if I would be able to get up the nerve to do it or not but I would really love to. It would be such an accomplishment. Maybe I need a running partner.

Anyway, this program has a 9 week calender to follow. Each session takes between 20-30 minutes and you do it three times a week. Not bad!

On week one you start up with a 5 minutes warm up walk and then alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. I did this on the track at the gym yesterday and it was very easy but I think that is my limit right now (jogging for 60 seconds at a time). I know it's sad. I'm really worried about the weeks to follow. Week four has you jogging for 3 and 5 minutest at a time. Right now that seems impossible but I am going to do my best.

I think it is so hard to run when you are overweight. It is harder on the knees and pretty much every organ in your body. I really hope the training the next two months will help me lose some weight so that it is easier for me to run. My trainer told me that the more muscle you build in your legs the easier it will be to run. So I also need to get back into some strength training.

If you want to check out this program you can click here to go to the Cool Running's website.

Friday, September 11, 2009

In a few weeks their will be a huge fair in our town. Every year since I was born I have gone to the fair and I just love it. It is one of those things that you never out grow.

Sounds exciting right? You ask, "So then what's the problem"? The problem is that I don't have any money and the fair is quickly approaching. I am going to make some changes in the next two weeks so that my family and I can enjoy the fair.

The changes I plan to make:

1. I will only buy necessities the next two weeks. No more picking up little odds and ends at Walmart. We need to stick to the basics like toilet paper, garbage bags, dog food, etc...

2. We will not go out to eat at all until after the fair. This will be hard because I like to get a pizza or go out to eat once a week just to relax and give me a break from cooking. I'm sure I can do it and it will be well worth it when fair week comes.

3. I am going to be cooking out of my cupboards. Ok, that sounds kind of weird but I think you all know what I mean. I am going to be eating what we have here at the house. It will be good to use up what we have and it will save us money. I am just going to have to be super creative when it comes to cooking meals.

4. Two nights A week I plan to make breakfast for dinner. More specific Omelets, turkey sausage and toast one night and Pancakes, sugar free syrup and turkey sausage. This will save a ton of money because I already have eggs, turkey sausage and Healthy Heart Pancake mix. I just need to buy some more sugar free syrup.

5. Get out my coupons for the few foods that I will need to buy. I haven't been great with my coupons lately. I bought everything I need to create my organizer. I just haven't had the time (or made the time) to do it. I have just been half heartily couponing. I really need to get back into it. My goal for the week is to get my coupon organizer put together. I will post a pic when it is done.

You may be laughing at me right now and wondering why I would go to such efforts for a fair. This is not just a Fair to me. It is a huge fair and my whole family loves to go together every year and we always have such a blast. We eat, let the kids play games and just have a good time walking around and checking everything out. We seriously spend the entire day their when we go. They always have such neat stuff at the fair (food and new products). I don't know what it is but I just love it. That's all I can say. Fair week is one of my favorite times of the whole year and I can't wait to go several times. I just can't get enough of it.

We would all love to hear any other great ideas that you use to save money.

A few weeks ago Janny from POM Wonderful sent me a box of POMx Tea to try. Janny is so sweet and I love having the opportunity to try all of the new POM Wonderful products. In my package I received the Light Pomegranate Hibiscus Green POMx Tea and the Light Pomegranate Wildberry White POMx Tea.

I have to be honest with you. I didn't like either of them. They both had a citrus flavor to them and I do not like anything with citrus in it. I don't even get lemon in my tea, diet soda or water when we are eating at restaurants. That being said I decided to let my family try it to get some other opinions on it.

First I had my Mom try the Light Pomegranate Hibiscus Green POMx Tea and SHE LOVED IT! She really thought it was the best tea she ever tasted. It's kind of funny because when we go out to eat together I always giver her my lemons. She loves citrus flavoring.

She then tried the Light Pomegranate Wildberry White POMx Tea. She really liked this one too. She said she didn't like it as much as the other but she would definitely drink it again. So all in all she loved them both and would definitely buy them.

I then had my husband try both teas. He came home after a long evening of playing softball and grabbed the Light Pomegranate Wildberry White POMx Tea. He drank it in about a minute. He thoroughly enjoyed it. He said it was very refreshing.

The next night after softball he grabbed the Light Pomegranate Hibiscus Green POMx Tea and he drank the whole bottle. He said that one was refreshing also but he didn't like it as much as the Wildberry White tea. He said it had a very strong taste. I find that Green tea usually has a stronger taste.

POM Wonderful says, "POMx Tea is hand-picked, whole leaf tea, made with POMx. Extracted from California-grown Wonderful-variety pomegranates, POMx has more antioxidant potency then red wine, green tea, grape and acai extracts. In fact, 15 published scientific studies on POMx have documented its antioxidant superiority as well as its promising health benefits."

So I guess majority rules. The POMx tea was a hit. Even though I didn't like it my family really enjoyed it and would definitely drink it again. Thanks again Janny and POM Wonderful!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Well it hasn't been the best week for weight loss. I stepped on the scale this morning and it showed a 3.6 gain for the week. The number on the scale was 180. I so deserved it. I have been eating awful for almost two weeks. A baby with croup and having trouble with medicine that I am on did not help me. I honestly didn't care about eating healthy. I was to tired so I just ate whatever was easiest at the moment.

I'm not disappointed. I know that I will have weeks like this. I just need to get back on track. Actually I have gotten back on track the past two days but it just didn't counteract the damage done the rest of the week.

I started back at the gym today. I actually went this morning while my daughter was at preschool and then later this evening while she was at gymnastics. I had two great workouts and I feel very energized and ready to go back tomorrow morning.

My Week In Review:

1. Exercise: I did the 30 day shred twice this week.

2. Track My Points Every Day: No

4. Water: A lot but not as much as I should.

5. Late night eating: No

6. Snacking: Too many frozen Hershey Kisses

7. Eating more fruits and veggies: I didn't eat as much as I should. I need to get more fruit.

What do I need to do this week?

I need to get my exercise and my eating back on track. I think the exercise part is going to be easy to get back into because I enjoy it so much. The eating part on the other hand is going to be harder. It is always so hard to get back into eating healthy when you had a week or two of eating whatever you wanted.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

1. Fiber One Bars/Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars (I only buy these when I have coupons and match them to sales. Otherwise they are to expensive. These are my #1 favorite because I can eat them on the run. I feel like I am always on the run so I find them very handy.)

2. Grapes - (I only buy when they are .99 cents a pound or less. Usually one of the stores in my area will have them at this price every week.)3. Hard Boiled Eggs - (This is one of my favorite snacks. I usually have 1 egg and 2 eggs whites for a snack. Of course with a little salt. :)

4. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait from McDonald's - (I love these things. They cost $1.06 after tax. I only have these occasionally but it is definitely a healthy choice when you are out.)

5. 100 Calorie Bagel with 2TBSP of Weight Watchers cream cheese. (You might think this is a little pricey but the bagels and cream cheese cost about $6.00 and there are 12 bagels. This is approx. .50 cents a serving. Not bad for a 2 P snack.)

Monday, September 7, 2009

I had a wonderful weekend but I ate way too much. More then I have eaten in a long time (at least the last 8 months). It was really nice to give myself a little break the past three days but now I feel gross. Really, really gross.

I kind of feel like a greasy bloated pig. Seriously. Maybe it is because it is midnight and I just consumed half a can of reduced fat pringles. I don't know why my husband brings them into the house. He has to know by now that he won't get many of them. I think he is trying to sabotage me. :) He also brought home a HUGE pumpkin whoopee pie on Sat. How mean is that. Of course I ate it. My daughter ate 1/3 of it but I still consumed at least 15 points worth. That baby was huge! I know that he is not really trying to sabotage me. He is just being sweet but sometimes it is so hard for me to resist things.

In a perfect world there would be no kids crying, no money issues, plenty of sleep and plenty of time to yourself. I could so resist temptation in those conditions. But under normal conditions like these, baby with croup, cranky 4 year old, not enough money, kids crying, house to clean, not enough time to exercise, no time to your self, and not enough sleep, are the times that I get myself in trouble.

On Saturday I spent all morning cleaning my girls room. Cleaning toys, washing sheets, washing clothes, putting clothes away, packing all the clothes away that don't fit and then getting all of the fall clothes out and put away. By 1pm I came down stairs to eat some low fat spaghetti that I made the day before and my husband says he got me a surprise. As the kids where clinging to me and crying that they were hungry my husband pulls out this giant pumpkin whoopee pie. At that point I was so hungry and stressed that I stood in the kitchen and ate it in about 2 minutes. When things calmed down after lunch I thought "What did I just do?" "Why did I eat that?". I don't really even know what happened.

Stress just comes over me and I eat. It is really something that I have been working on throughout my journey and obviously something I will always struggle with. For now I have realized that it is just better to keep unhealthy food out of the house. I even asked my husband not to bring me food as a treat anymore. :(.

And that was just the start of my weekend. I ate brownies at my sisters. A food that once I eat one I can't stop. I unusually try to avoid them at all costs but for some reason I let my guard down and ate one (or 6). Then we went to a wonderful pig roast on Sunday where I ate more food then you would ever think possible for someone my size. And then today we had a picnic at my parents with tons of great food and yet again I couldn't control myself.

So enough is enough. I had my fun and now I feel gross. Tomorrow starts a new day and it is going to be a good one. I am going to the gym and I plan to eat tons of veggies and fruit. I may even have a couple no carb days just to get back on track (it is so hard to not eat carbs). I think it may be what I need to make my body feel a little better.

I am going to try to go to the gym every day for the rest of the week. So that and the no carbs should kick be back into my good habits and make me feel more energized and less sluggish.

Sorry to ramble on. I had such an off plan weekend that I thought I should share it all with you.This is part of life and as long as we get back on track we will be fine. We can't let ourselves get discouraged or get mad at ourselves. This is life and if we get discouraged we are more likely to just give up and keep eating unhealthy and not exercising.

I just need to get my act back together tomorrow (technically today) and remember why I am doing this. I want to be healthy and strong, I want to feel good about myself and I want to show my children healthy eating habits.This is why I am going to keep going and get back on track tomorrow.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

This recipe comes from "Hungry Girl's first cookbook (which I love!). My sister made it for me last week and I just had to share it. It is so simple and tastes so good. Serve it to guests and they will never know that it is low-fat. What I like is that it is very filling. I ate one of these for lunch an I was completely full.

Combine turkey, bacon, mayo and tomatoes in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Microwave tortilla until slightly warm. Lay the tortilla out on a piece of foil (a little larger then the tortilla) with about a 2-inch section of the tortilla extending over the foil.

Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place cheese, lettuce, cucumber slices, and turkey mixture into the center of the tortilla.

Fold the right side of the tortilla in at a diagonal. Then fold the left side in at a diagonal. Flip the bottom up to prevent the contents from falling out. Wrap the foil around the tortilla in the same manner. The end result Will be a waffle-cone-style wrap!

I just read a post at A Merry Life and I had to share it with all of you. She is talking about what to eat and not eat at McDonald's.

As I read her post (click here to read) it brought back so many memories of the way my life used to be and how much it has changed in the past 8 months. She talks about not ordering multiple meals when going through the drive thru. I will admit it. I used to be that person. If two meals looked good and I was hungry I would order them. I'm not sure why I would order two meals but I did and then I would sit in the parking lot by myself and eat both meals. It is so sick to think about but I think I did it because I was so unhappy with myself and my weight. I didn't know how to change things. I just figured I would be fat forever so why bother.

If any of you are thinking this way please don't give up and order that Big Mac and Large Fries. There is a way. It is very hard at times (especially at first) but it is possible to make those changes. Moderation and exercise are what saved me. I went from the person that would go through the Drive Thru at midnight and order tons of food to the person that isn't even tempted by this anymore. It wasn't easy changing those old habits but I did it. Don't get me wrong. I still crave Big Mac's (especially when my husband is sitting next to me eating one). But I have realized that I want to be healthy more then I want that food.

One of the main reasons for making these changes in my life are my daughters. They are my world and I never want them to go through what I have gone through. I have been overweight since I was a child and it was so hard to deal with. I don't want my children to have to deal will the tormenting and low self esteem that I had to. I am changing my way of life for my girls. I want to be a good role model for them. I want to show them that food is not the answer to my problems. I want to show them to go to God when they are upset, sad or afraid. He is the only one that can help us. Not Food.

Now when I take the girls to McDonald's I order a hamburger Happy Meal (sometimes cheeseburger if I'm splurging :)) and a yogurt parfait. I love McDonald's and I don't like to go their to get a salad. Don't get me wrong I do like salads and McDonald's salads are good. I would just rather have the burger and fries in moderation. Otherwise I feel deprived and find myself snacking on other stuff later or maybe finishing up my daughter's fries. This way I feel satisfied and I don't feel the need to eat my daughter's meal and a salad.

The best part is that I am showing my daughters that they can still go to McDonald's every once in a while and eat the type of food that they want to. I don't want them thinking the more food the better. I want them to learn to eat until they are full. If they see Mommy pig out they are going to think it is ok and that is what we are supposed to do. But if they see Mommy eat the "unhealthy food" in moderation, every once in a while, they will hopefully realize that it is the way to do it.

I don't want my girls to think that they have to eat salads for every meal to stay healthy (or thin). I think this could lead to eating disorders in my children down the road. Which is not what I want for them. I am very careful about what I say to them. I tell them that Mommy is eating like this to become healthier not to get skinny. It is so hard trying to find the right things to say to your kids.

I hope you all enjoy the post at A Merry Life and I hope it helps everyone figure out a plan for yourselves on how you can still eat fast food and enjoy it while staying healthy.

Directions:Soak beans overnight. In morning drain beans and place in large pot with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour into crock-pot and cook on low all day or high for a few hours. Serve by itself or with rice or fried potatoes (fried with PAM of course) :).

What a week. The wedding was great and I was able to make it down to 176.6 by Saturday. It was so hard. I am glad the pressure is off because the last month was a killer trying to fit into that dress.

This does not mean I am stopping or giving up. It just means that I am not going to the gym 4-5 times a week and eating no carbs. It is to hard for me. I have two little girls that need me way more then the gym. I will probably go back to my 3-4 days a week routine and then do some exercise at home in bewtween.

The number on the scale this morning was 176.4 lbs. Which brings me to a total weight loss of 40.2 pounds. Whahoo!!! Actually I am shocked. I really haven't been careful about what I have been eating since the wedding. It is also that time of the month. So I have a feeling the weight will catch up with me next week. :(

I had a lot of great new foods this week from the Hungry Girl cookbooks. My sister has made several of them and shared with me. The same with some new food finds that she food. She is so sweet! I will have to tell you all about them this week.

My Week In Review:

1. Exercise: I haven't exercised since last Thursday! :( Yikes!

2. Track My Points Every Day: some.

4. Water: A lot but not as much as I should.

5. Late night eating: The last two nights I ate a bowl of Blue Bunny Suger Free, Reduced Fat Ice Cream before I went to bed. I don't ussaully eat ice cream much but for some reason I was really craving it. It was awesome! Also, last night I ate 1/4 of a bag of Tator Tots. That will catch up with me tomorrow.

6. Snacking: Way to many to metion.

7. Eating more fruits and veggies: Lots of salad with tomatoes from the garden and lots of watermelon.

What do I need to do this week?Get back on track. My daughter has croup this week so it has been a little stressful trying to stay on track. I kind of gave myself a little break this week to take care of my daughter and clean my house after the crazy month of August. I need to get back to the gym next week too.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Two weeks ago I got a really great cookbook. It is called Hungry Girl 200 under 200. It is a cookbook with 200 recipes under 200 calories. I love it! It is my new favorite cookbook.

I figured what better way to celebrate my 40 pound loss then to give one of these cookbooks to one lucky reader.

Here's how to get in on the fun:

1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite Cookbook.2. Earn a second entry by being or becoming a follower/subscriber and leaving that in the comment section below.3. Earn another entry by grabbing my button.3. And another entry by making a post on your own blog telling everyone about this contest and linking it to this page. Then paste your link in the comment section below.

I will be drawing the winner randomly on Monday, September 14, 2009. I will contact the winner by email.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Now that the wedding is over I am realizing that I am broke. I figured out that I spent somewhere between $800 and $1,000 dollars on the wedding and shower. It was well worth it and I don't regret it. It is just that now I really need to scrimp and save to get buy until I can catch up on things.

So for me it is Back To The Basics. I was just reading through some of my old posts to get some ideas on how to save some money and still eat healthy. This is what I found. My post on 10 ways to save money while losing weight. I'm glad I found this post again because it was one of my favorites. My favorite tip in this post is to eat lots of beans because beans are cheap.

Speaking of beans I just remembered these recipes. These are two of my favorite low fat inexpensive recipes. White Chicken Chili and Pinto Beans and Ham are both very tasty and filling. I think I will put them on the menu for next week. Hobo burgers are also another one of my favorite inexpensive meals. The best part is that you can get everything you need to make these at Aldi. Another favorite inexpensive meal is breakfast for dinner. Aldi now sells a Fit and Active Turkey Sausage. That along with some egg whites, veggies, 2% cheese and toast make for a great dinner.

Day 1 - 216.6 Pounds - Jan. 2009

Update 1 - 206 Pounds

Update 2 - 196 Pounds

Update 3 - 186 Pounds

Update 4 - 176.5

Update 5 - 50 Pounds Lost - 166 pounds - Aug. 2010

BlogCatalog

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 11 February 2009 This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.